Trimming machine



Oct. 27, 1931. J. H. BROWN TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1928 PatentedOct. 27, 1931 UNITED" STATES JERSEY "P NTgorrics I Jerm- HENRY BROWN. oFLEICESTER, anemia-n, assienon To. UNITLED SKOEMAl CHINERY ooaroaarromxorraraason, messy, A coal oaerionorfnnw 1 RIM ING ACHINE Application. fild December 4, 1928, Serial no. 323,762, and'in Great Bram n embee 1c,1927.

- This invention relates totrimming machines and is herein' il'lustratedas embodied in'a machine designed particularly to trim fins ofoverflowfrom molded rubber articles, forexample, rubber soles and heels.It is to be understood, however, that in its broader aspects theinvention is not limited to ma chines for-trimming articles made ofrubber.

The illustrated machine comprises, among other things, a pair of rotarycircular cutting disks c'o-o-peratively related to sever the materialthatreq-uircs to be trimmed off. One of th objects of the invention isto provide ani'mprovedconstruction and arrangement of co-operative diskcutters-that Will not. only insure smooth andeventrimming'but Will ialso. insure long service of the cutterswithout appreciabledeterioration of their effectiveness; i

Accordingly a novel feature of the invention co-nsists'in a pair ofrotaryciroulardisk cutters having narrow circumferential surfacesarranged in registering relation, and front faces which, together'Withthe circum ferential surfaces, form sharp, non-acute circular edgesthatlie in a common plane, and means arranged'to maintain the cuttersout of contact with. each other but so nearly in contact as toinsure theseverance of thin material' passed between them. As illustrated, thecutting diskshave circumferential surfaces whose axial dimension'isabout 7 /1OO0 of an inch, this dimension having been found suificienttoprovideforlongservice and at the same time to make clean cuttingpossible, provided the work engaging portions: ofthe circumf'erentialsurfaces'are. maintained, to all intents and purposes, i-n'registeringrelation" with each other. When the cutters are used to sever materialssuch as rubber, leather, cloth: and paper they reducethe material be:tween them to a thickness-so minute that its tensile strength isrendered practically nil, and the. result is-that: Whatever materialremains along the, line traVersed'by-the cutters do not actually touchor bear one'upon the other, they will not chip each other; and. are

; subjected to, so' litt e ear that the r sharp edges remain in asatisfactory condition for a long time. Y

-The illustratedmachine alsocornprises two] relatively movable frameelements operativeconnected one to the other,the=co-operativecuttingdisks being-mounted respectively in these frames to providefor-regulating the spacebetvveen theircircumferential surfaces and alsoto providefor relativelysepa-rating the cutters When itis desired tointroduce an other. g Othcr'features of the invention are hereink afterdescribed and claimed andfare illustrated in the drawings. e Referringto the drawings, V Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head of a trimmingmachine in which thenovel features of the invention are. embodied; V a

' Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof omitting certain parts included inFig. 1; Fig.3 is a side-elevationon a: greatly enlarged scale of thecontiguous portions of the cutting disks; e V Fig. a is a frontelevation representing the cutting disks and a device adapted to be.temporarily applied thereto for setting their cir cumferential surfaces}in registering relation;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the.

justable means by? which itis supported in operative position; I e IFigs. 6 and 7 front elevationf and; aside elevation of a guard or gagesuitable for. guiding rubber sole pro ide -with. Qonvekly be l d pro?files; l v e I ig. 8, is

illustrate, respectively, a v

front elevation of a roller-gage 1,00

- toward the rear.

suitable for use when the machine is used to mounted thereon and acontrollable clutch 16 V for effecting a driving connection between thepulley and shaft. A circular disk cutter 18 is aflixed to the forwardend of the shaft 10 and its hub abuts a front face of the frame 12 toprevent axial displacement of the shaft The hub of a spur gear 20 alsoaflixed to the shaft 10 abuts a rear face of the frame12 and preventsaxial displace ment of the shaft toward the front.

. A rotary circular cutting disk 22 is arranged abovethe disk 18 and isco-operatively related thereto. 7 The disk 22 is affixed to the forwardend. of a horizontal shaft 24, the axes of the shafts 10 and 24 beingparallel. The shaft 24 is journaled in a frame element 26 movablerelatively to the frame 12 but operatively connected thereto by ahorizontal cylindrical rod 28. The frame 12 is bored to provide a socketthrough which the rod 28 extends, the ends of the rod proj ecting beyondthe front and rear of the frame 12 and through cars 30 formed on themovable frame element 26 which is in the form of a yoke and straddlesthe frame 12. The hub of the cutter 22 abuts a front face of the framemember 26'while the hub of a spur gear 32 aflixed to the rear end of theshaft 24 abuts a rear face of the member 26. A collar 34 aflixed to therod 28 and a shoulder 35 formed on the rod engage opposite faces of oneof the ears 30 of the frame member 26 to maintain the cutter 22 inregistering relation to the cutter 18. To set the cutters 18 and 22 inregistering relation, the cutter 22 is shifted axially to the front orrear, as the case may be, the shaft 24, the movable frame element 26 andthe rod 28 all partaking of this shifting or adjusting movement. Theadjustment is maintained by a set screw 36 screwed into the frame 12 andarranged to engage the rod 28 and thereby fix the position of the rod.

The spur gear 20' meshes with the spur gear 32 so that the disk 22 isdriven,-from the main shaft 10, in the opposite direction to that of thelower disk 18.

Referring to Fig. 3, which represents the contiguous portions of thecutters 18 and 22 on a greatly enlarged scale, each cutter is made ofhardened steel and is provided with a cylindric circumferential surface40, a

7 axis.

frusto-conical front face 42, a flat front face 44 and a frusto-conicalrear face 46. The axial dimension of the circumferential faces 'is about7/1000 of an inch. Sharp circular edges 48 are formed at the junctionsof the circumferential surfaces 40 and the frusto-conical front faces 42but the angles thus formed are not acute. Likewise sharp edges areformed at the junctions of the circumferential surfaces 40 and thefrustoconical rear faces 46 but here also the angles are also not acute.The sharp circular edges 48 lie in a common plane.

In practice, the cutting disks are adjusted to the relation shown inFig. 3 in which the circumferential surfaces 40 almost but not quitetouch each other, a small clearance being desirable to prevent the disksfrom chipping and dulling each other. For the purpose of this adjustmentthe frame 12 is provided with an adjustable abutment 52 to engage an ear54 projecting from the movable frame 26. This abut-ment, as shown, is abolt screwed into an ear 56 formed on the frame 12 and held inadjustedposition by a lock nut 58. The ear 54 is normally maintained seated uponthe abutment 52 by a moderately strong compression spring 60 maintainedunder sufficient initial compression to insure penetration and severanceof the Work by the cutters 18 and 22. The spring may be put under anydesired degree of compression by an adjustable backing screw 62. Theparts 60 and 62 are inserted into a socket formed in an overhangingportion of the frame 12 above the movable frame element 26, a slidingplug 64 being interposed between the spring and a portion of the frameelement- 26 to bear onthelatter.

If desired, the movable frame element 26 may be provided with an arm 66(Fig. 2) as means for lifting the cutter 22 away from the cutter 18. Theouter end of this arm may be connected by a rod or chain 67 to a treadle(not shown). Then the arm 66 is depressed it produces angular movementof the frame member 26 relatively to the fixed supporting rod 28, butsince the frame member 26 is held against movement lengthwise of the rodand since the cutter 16 is held against axial movement relative to theframe member 26, the registering relation of the cutters is notdisturbed by so moving the arm.

The illustrated machine is also provided with a circular work supportingtable 68 (Fig. 1) arranged to rotate about an upright This table isarranged in front of the cutters and is supported by a horizontal rod 70 projecting from a socket formed in the frame 12 and adjustably securedin said socket by a set screw 71. The outer end of the rod 70 is forkedand the space between its branches is occupied by a flat shank 72 of amember 7 3 provided with a'socket 7 4 for the reception of a cylindricalstud 75 afiixed to the naaasae work table...' The upper; end otthemember Rsuppertsthe table and the stud 7.5. is free to; tur i Socket--The shank- 7 2 is providedwitha slot 76 through which a clamp ingh lt;7;? extends, the boltextending also through the branches of theforkeclend of. the

- rod 70-anld having's rew connection with an internal thread in. cheerthe brances This connection provides; for angular movement of: thesocket member 733 relative to the rodZO and also-provides tor adjustingthe socket member up. and down. tightening the bolt 7.7 the branches ofthe rod 70 are drawn toward each other to clamp. the shank- 72 betweenthem. Theclamping bolt may-be provided- Witha'nut 7 8 to furnishadditional clampingpressure. f

- In practice, the, work to. besevered runs over-the top: of the lowercutter-.18 andis sup.- ported at a constant level by the circumferential surface 40 of that cutter- Moreover, the upper surface of therotary work table 68 is. located in a plane tangent tothe highest pointof the work-supporting surface 40 of the: cutter 18. This; plane may behorizontal or inclined according to. the characteristics of theworkor'the preference of the user, the

described provisions for adjusting the socket member '73. being capable;of compounding angular adjustment and up -and-down adjustrnent asvrnaybe required. Moreover the rod 70 may be adjusted angularly about itsaxis to rock thetablefrom side toside and may also be adjustedlengthwise of its axis to reg ulate the distance between the perimeterof the'table and the cutter 18.

When severing or trimming articles made of or containing rubber, it iscommonly desirable to lubricate the surfaces of the cutters.Accordingly, the illustrated machine is provided with means forsupplying a liquid lui bricant (water being commonly used) to the uppercutter 22 from which some of the liquid flows to the lower cutter. Asshown in Fig. 1 a cup 7 9 for supplying the lubricating liquid isarranged above the upper cutter so that the liquid will flow by gravitythrough a flexible tube 80. The upper end of this tube V is incommunication with the cup 79 and the lower end is coupled to a deliverynozzle 81 projecting from and affixed to a portion of the frame element-26. The lower end of the 1102- zle 81 is directly over and close to theupper portion of the cutter 22 so that the lubricating .5 liquid thatdrips therefrom will fall on the cutter. The supply cup 79 is'supportedby a bracket 82 afiixed to the frame12.

Gages or guards of various types may be employed according to variousphysicalcharacteristics of the articles of work to be severed ortrimmed. For example, a gage 83 (Figs. 1 and 2) is suitable for use whenthe machine' is employed to trim fins of overflow from molded rubberheels. The gage c5 83 is provided Witha slot 84-120 receive the shank-fof a clampin-gscrew 85,' a portion jef thev movable frame 26. beingborecland -t.a.ppeel toreceive t escrew'. ,Wlien. thegageh attached; it;projects downwardly in front. cf

and cleseto theupp'er c tter 2-2, the $101 .84

providing for vertical adjustment:- of; the gage to; regulate the spacebetween its lower end, and thework table..-j. The profile or a hee-liwould beheld against, the-front fac oi this gage while a tin of overflowto. be I V severed wouldprojectj under the gage;

- The gage .86, shown in; Figs; 6. and 7, is suitable for use whenthemachine. ispem ployed to trim fins of overflow trom molded files,.thej'lower end-of-this gage havinga concavev profile 88, to ngage the: convexprofiles of the soles; 3 M

VVhen the'machine is-used-to: trim fins: or

overflow from molded rubber soles having squareprofiles it may bepreferable bQSlilbr stitute ag'age of the type; shown in Fig. 8;

this gage; being provided with an anti-trio tion' roll .92 ,rotatablyvmounted thereon and arrangedjto. run. on the upper surface of the sole.

*Vvhenanyxone. of the gages 83,86 and'90jis used, it is advantageous to.use also. a guard as (Figs; '1' andfl') r This. guard is affixed to themovable frame element. 26 and isfarcutter "22, itsfront face beingsubstantially flush with the vertical *plane Of. the'front terthesharpedges 480i the cutters."

'ianged: at the feeding-in side of the upper v from moiving'sofar totherear sew enco'u'm i 0.

If'desired; agage 9 6 of the type shown. in:

Fig; 9 may be used instead of the gages: above described and maybeattached to the frame element 26 by the screw 85.. This gagejli-ke theother gages is provided with a slot 84 to receive the attaching screw85.. v A wide kerf 8=difvidsl the lower portion'ot the gage 96 into twospaced abutmentsv 100 each adapted to engage the profile of a"-moldedrrubber article such as a-heel ora sole. The space provided bythe kerf 98-is arranged to: stand in register with the nip of: thecutters.

The

confrontingportions 'ot-the abutmen-ts 100 f are c'hamfered on the frontfaces, the aha-m faring being represented"by'shadingz' This formation isintended to. conform approx-i matelyto'sharply curvedr'toesofrubbersoles andvito. the relatively sharp. curvatures of Small rubberheels. and permits such curved bodies: to approach closely to theline-0r plane ofthe cut. ln practice', the gage- 96 will be a'jjusted;to a level thatrwilLpermit. finsof overflow to! project under it;Eig...,4 illustrates a. devicedesigned tobe u dto ali-ne the cut ers 18and 22; so that their rubber soles; having convexly beveled f'proedges48 will register one with the other, as shown in Fig. 3. This devicecomprises a rigid, flat plate 102 and two clamping screws 104. Two holesare bored through the plate 102 to receive the shanks of the screws, theholes beingspaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distancebetween the axes of the cutter shafts and 24. The front ends of theshafts are drilled and provided are set up tightly in the sockets formedin the shafts. The plate is thus clamped tightly against the flat frontfaces 44: of the cutters, the upper cutter 22 being thereby shiftedaxially to the front or rear, as the case may be. TlllS step placesthesharp edge 48 of the up per cutter exactly in the plane of thecorresponding edge 48 of the lower cutter. The ad justment thus obtainedis preserved by tightening the set screw 36, after which the adjustingplate 102 maybe detached and the desired gage may be attached. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and. desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

1. A trimming machine comprising two rotary circular disk cutters eachhaving a narrow circumferential surface and a front face at a non-acuteangle thereto and forming therewith a sharp circular edge at their lineof intersection, means alrrangedto maintain said cutters nearly but notquite in contact with each other with said edges in a common plane andwith said circumferential surfaces in registering relation, and meansfor rotating one of said cutters.

2. A trimming machine comprising two rotary circular disk cutters eachhaving a narrow cylindric circumferential surface and a front face at anon-acute angle thereto and forming therewith a sharp circular edge attheir line of intersection, means arranged to maintain said cuttersspaced apart only so far as to avoid actual contact one with the otherbut with said circular edges in a common plane and said circumferentialsurfaces in registering relation, and means for rotating one or both ofsaid cutters.

3. A trimming machine comprising two circular disk cutters arranged toco-operate with each other in edgeto-edge relation, two relativelymovable frame elements in which said cutters, respectively, arerotatably mounted, means'arranged to limit relative movement of saidframe elements in one direction and thereby establish a co-operativerelation of the cutters, resilient means arranged to maintain said frameelements normally in the relation necessary to insure penetration andseverance of the work by the cutters but to permit forcible separationof the cutters, and means for rotating one of said cuters. Y

4. .A trimming machine comprising a stationary frame, a movable frameoperatively connected thereto, two circular disk cutters rotativelymounted in said frames, respectively, and arranged to co-operate witheach other, an adjustable abutment arranged to co-operate with saidmovable frame to establish a co-operative relation of said cutters,resilient means arranged to maintain said movable frame normally in aposition to insure penetration of the work by said cutters but to permitretraction of said movable frame for separatin ing one of said cutters.

5. A trimming machine comprising a pair of rotary circular cutting disksarranged in edge-to-edge relation, relatively adjustable frame elementsin which said disks are mounted, resilient means arranged to act on oneof said frame elements to insure pentration of the work by .said disks,means arranged to regulate the co-operative relation of said disks, andmeans for rotating one of said disks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN HENRY BROWN.

the cutters, and means for rotat-

